The present invention relates to the field of devices for projecting lightweight materials.
Festive occasions such as birthday, wedding, Christmas and New Year""s Eve celebrations often employ the use of lightweight materials that are projected into the air to create pleasing visual effects. They are also used as visual effects for stage shows, rock concerts, conventions, and parades. These lightweight materials, in general, create an atmosphere of festivities and excitement for partygoers and/or spectators.
Common examples of these lightweight materials include confetti, streamers, glitters, plush balls, foam shapes, etc. Confetti is often created from paper or polyvinyl film that is cut into different shapes, styles, and sizes. Confetti can also be made in a variety of different colors and shapes. Streamers are long strips of paper or polyvinyl film that are curled up into rolls. As by the confetti and/or the streamers are projected into the air, they scatter and fall creating a pleasing visual effect.
At small events, these lightweight materials can be projected by hand or a handheld device. But at larger events, particularly those that are held in wide areas, a specialized projector may be required. The projector such as a confetti cannon often makes use of an ejection member forming the barrel of the cannon. At the base of the barrel is a force supplying apparatus such as a motorized fan, gun-powder-explosive system, or compressed air from a pressurized canister.
The larger the event, the greater is the need for larger projectors. The use of larger projectors, however, decreases the ease of moving, storing, shipping, and handling them. Also, the projector containers can be bulky and take up valuable space in storage or on the stage, particularly when the projectors are being used. Thus, there exists a need for an easy to handle and store, space-saving lightweight-material projector and container.
The present invention is directed, in a first aspect, to a lightweight material projection system that can be stored and transported in a space-efficient manner. In one embodiment of the invention, the lightweight material projection system comprises a lightweight material projector having an ejection member, a force supplying apparatus, and a storage housing assembly for storing the lightweight material projector. The storage housing assembly comprises a base assembly and a cover assembly, wherein the ejection member of the projector is connected to the the base assembly of the storage housing assembly.
Another aspect of the invention involves the use of the base assembly as a passage way for lightweight materials using non-electrical force supplying apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, the lightweight materials are projected using a venturi vacuum.
FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the lightweight-material projector arranged for storage according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the lightweight-material projector arranged for use according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the lightweight-material projector assembled according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 4-6 show perspective views of alternative methods of assembling the lightweight material projector according to one embodiment of the present invention.